Fire detector and extinguisher



Sept. 5, 1944. C. R. MORTON FvIRE DETECTOR AND EXTINGUISHER Filedv Dec. 2, 1945 /Nc/E/vrop CHAILes /IVQ TON ,By c. @M

atentecl Sept. 1944 orifice FIRE DETECTOR AND EXTINGUISHER Charles R. Morton, Summit, N. J.

Application December 2, 1943, Serial No. 512,612

'7 Claims.

This invention relates -to improvements in devices for automatically detecting and extinguishing fires v Fire often occurs when there is no one around kto give an alarm or to take the necessary steps to lextinguish the lire. Also, there seldom is present adequate equipment for extinguishing a re. Devices 4have heretofore been provided to give alarmsbut an alarm alone is not suflicient. It is necessary that some means be provided to extinguish the re.

It is an object of this invention to provide a device to automatically give an alarm when a fire occurs, and immediately thereafter release a fluid, such as carbon tetrachloride, to extinguish the fire.

A further objectk is the provision of a device for automatically giving an alarm when a fire occurs, and thereafter automatically release an extinguishing uid in the form of aV sprayhaving an umbrella eifect to spread the fluid over a relatively large area. Heretofore, devices employing fluid extinguishers have allowed the fluid to fall immediately to the floor, where it remains since it has a specific gravity greater than air.

.h lat a low cost, and which can be manipulated by almost any person, even though he `has never seen the device before.

These and rother Nobjects are attained by the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this disclosure, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the alarm and extinguishing device.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the bottom structure of the device.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of an element used in the device.

Referring to the drawing,y the device is shown to comprise a container I, iilled with an extinguishing uid such as carbon tetrachloride, and having a soft metal puncturable plug 2 closing a hole in its bottom.

A plate 3 is xed to the bottom and carries a torsion spring 4 of a type such as used in the common mouse trap. Connected with spring 4 are a pair of arms 5 which are held down against the bottom of the container by a strip 6 of a metal fusible at a predetermined temperature,

Whenv .the fluid falls at once to the floor, it has little flindrical member.

such as 150 F. The ends of strip 6 are posi- VVtion'e'd under bands 1 attached to the bottom of the container.

The arms 5 connect with an arcuate section 8 positioned in a groove 9 in a cylindrical member ff `hav-ing a lower section Ill and an upper section 'similar sections, one of 'which is shown in Fig. 3. VEach section 'liasfa semi-circular flange I3 pro- 'Ihe cylindrical member is formed of two vided with a groove which receives a spring I4 rto hold the two sections together to form the cyv The cylindrical member is provided with a plurality of holes I5 rthrough which fluid may pass.

v Each of the-sections is provided with an internal shoulder I 6 having a plurality of holes 22, and a reentrant semi-cylinder I1, having its free edge spaced from the shoulder I6. The upper end of the cylindrical member is conical as shown at 20 and has a groove through which passes a firing ypin I`8, provided with a projection I9 to prevent -it from falling out of the member. One end of the firing pin yI8 bears against a cartridge 2I of explosive material. The conical portion 20 is solid togive it Weight and rigidity to puncture the plug 2. x

In operation,'when a fire occurs, the heat from the lire will raise the temperature of the fusible strip 6 to the predetermined value to cause the strip 6 vto melt and release the arms 5. The cylindrical member will then be violently thrown over to cause the firing pin I8 and the conical portion 20 to puncture the plug 2. When the ring pin I8 strikes the plug 2, the cartridge 2l, which rests on the reentrant cylinder Il under the shoulder I6, will explode, giving a loud and attracting alarm.

The conical, portion 20 will puncture the plug 2 suiciently to -allow uid to flow through the holes I5 in the section Il, from whence the fluid will flow through holes 22 in the shoulder I6, and out through holes I5 in the section Il), to produce a spray of fire extinguishing fluid having an umbrella effect covering a relatively large area. It will be seen that the fluid is not thrown out of the` container all at one time, but exudes slowly to produce an effective spray of carbon tetrachloride to smother a nre.

While the bottom of the container has been described as having a puncturable plug, the cost of the container can be reduced by making the entire bottom of a soft metal with a small circle indented therein to outline and provide a weakened area to be punctured by the conical head.

The spring, conical head and iplug are preferably arranged so that the head will strike the plug at right angles to the surface of the plug when the spring is released by the fusing of strip 6. v

When the firing pin strikes the plug and explodes the cartridge, the back kick from the explosion provides added force to assist the conical head in puncturing the plug. The flange I3 limits the extent which the head will enter the container, and at the same time provides a seal to prevent fluid from leaking around the edges 'of the aperture created by the puncturing of the plug, thus forcing the uid to flow into holes I5 in section II and out of holes I5 in section I0 as described above.

The container I is preferably made of metal, but it can be made of a plastic or other material.

The above description is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive of the invention,

of which modiiications can be made, obviously,

without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The invention having been described, I claim: 1. An automatic fire alarm and extinguishing device, comprising a container having a puncturable plug in the bottom thereof, a torsion spring attached to the bottom of the container, arms connected to the spring, a hollow cylindrical member carried by said arms, said member having a plurality of holes, said member having a solid conical head provided with a groove, an explosive cartridge mounted in the member, a firing pin positioned in the groove and engaging said cartridge, said member having an external ange intermediate its length, and means for 'holding said arms against the bottom of the container including a strip of metal fusible at a predetermined temperature.

2. In an automatic fire alarm and extinguishing device, a container having a 'puncturable plug in the bottom thereof, a torsion spring iixed to the bottom of the container, an arm connected to the spring, a hollow cylindrical member carried by the arm and having a plurality of holes, said member having a conical head, an explosive cartridge mounted in the member, a ring pin passing through the head and engaging the cartridge, and means for holding the arm against the bottom of the container including a strip of metal fusible at a predetermined temperature, said member and arm being arranged so that the firing pin and head will puncture the plug when the arm is released.

3. The structure set forth in claim 2 further characterized by the provision of means on the member to limit the extent of puncturing of the plug by the head.

4. The structure set forth in claim 2 further characterized by the provision of means for limiting the outward movement of the ring pin through the head.

-5. An automatic fire alarm and extinguisher, comprising a container having a puncturable plug in its bottom, a torsion spring fixed to the bottom of the container, an arm connected to the spring, a hollow cylindrical member carried by the arm and having an uppersection and a lower section provided with a plurality of holes, said upper section having a conical head, a flange on the member separating the two-sections, an explosive cartridge carried by the member, a firing pin passing through the head and engaging the cartridge, and means for holding the arm against the bottom of the container including a strip of metal fusible at a predetermined temperature, said member and arm being arranged so that the firing pin and head will puncture the plug When the arm is released.

6. An automatic fire alarm and extinguisher, comprising a container having a puncturable plug in the bottom thereof, a torsion spring xed to the bottom of the container, an arm connected to the spring, a hollow cylindrical member carried by the arm and having a plurality of holes, said member having a conical head, an explosive cartridge mounted in the member, and means for holding the arm against the bottom of the container including a strip of metal fusiblel at a predetermined temperature, said member and arm being arranged so that the head will puncture the plug when the arm is released, and means carried'by the member to explode the cartridge when the head punctures the plug.

7. In an automatic nre alarm and extinguisher, a container 'of fire extinguishing uid having a puncturable plug in the bottom thereof, a spring xed to the container, an arm connected to the spring, a hollow member carried by the arm and having a plurality of holes, said member having a pointed head, an explosive cartridge mounted in the member, means for holding the arm against the bottom of the container including metal fusible at a predetermined temperature, said member and arm being arranged so that the head will puncture the plug when the arm is released, and means carried by the member to explode the cartridge when the head punctures the plug. l

CHARLES R. MORTON. 

